International schools in thailand.

[ultimate weapon]

Do any of you enroll your kids into such schools? You know where your kids won't be following the local curriculum but instead maybe follow what is taught in farang countries instead.

I have noticed that many of you that have a thai spouse enroll your kids at thai schools rather than at international schools is this because you have every intention of settling down in thailand?

Perhaps those of you whom are not married to a thai but someone from your country but have moved to thailand along with your family have opted to enroll them in such schools since most instruction taught in thai schools would be in thai language and difficult for anyone that did not learn the language since they were young to pick up? Any other reasons why your child is studying in an international school.

[ppmacready]

They can afford it!

They are obviously better.

I prefer to have my daughter home schooled.

1 teacher 2 children V 1 teacher 30 children.

[CharlieH]

I would suggest the cost is prohibitive to many.

Lets move this to the Education forum

//Moved

[ppmacready]

The Thais have been oppressed via poor education for decades.

Now the elite say they are to stupid to vote!

A quality education is the privileged of the empowered elite.The masses do not have access to a decent standard of education, and are socially prevented from benefiting from any meaningful advancement. When will an educated population (an informed electorate), be in the best interests of the powers that be ? Perhaps when the centrally controlled system finds itself falling behind Burma and Vietnam.

[ultimate weapon]

The obvious reason is to avoid exposure to the Thai "education" system, which you would have to be nuts to even consider for a child if you have other options available. The international schools here know this, and so set their prices accordingly...

Yes thai education system isn't very good and is very lowly ranked even in the region of south east asia. I suppose i asked this question because of the postings from tv members and how they have their kids or maybe the kids of their new spouse, gf from a previous relationship studying thai schools and how they don't seem to mind but i guess it really has to do with the cost because if they had the money they would definitely enroll them in international school.

[recycler]

It's not that simple. In my opinion Thai kids either from a previous marriage or mixed should learn the Thai language.

Also when starting their school career I would like to keep all options open, further education in Thailand or in my country of origin. But it's hard to look 14+ years in the future, will study in the west still be cheap for passport holders? In the UK already not anymore, you need to be a taxpayer for 3 years or more to have your kids study at local rates. And how will the universities here and in the west develop, they can't get much worse here, but maybe in 14 years from now they will match some international standard also looking at the budget cuts on eduction in the west.

That said, I have 1 (from my country of origin) on an international school, good, but at high cost (500K Baht). And 1 on a good bilingual school also not cheap, but cheaper (100+ K Baht). But I do get worries the last few months as I do feel that education on even these bilingual schools is in the Thai system even tough there are many foreign teachers. Even worse I do notice that education is served also here according to the social level of the kids. We farang don't count, but our kids are rated by there origin and their mothers origin and that really gets me upset. We have had several incidents that would have been handled different if I would have been General Somchai.

So I am considering to move the kids to the international school and our daughter also when she is ready to go to school, Thai will then be homeschooling or separate courses.

[Ruin]

I notice that the rich Thai families have thrir children in international schools generally. The Taksins, Abhisets, Grammy, Generals and entertainment stars.

[Sampradaya]

There are only a handful international schools in Thailand that are proper international schools, eg ISB NIST Patana etc. Dont waste your money on the rest, they are businesses, not schools, with majority local students who do not want to learn, its only prestige for them to say they go to an 'international school'. These schools are a joke. There are good Thai schools with a bilingual program and which are cheaper.

[tubby johnson]

Thailand's successive ministers of Education have, without exception, avoided the Thai schools and sent their children to international schools.

That should tell you something of the alarming state of Thailand's schools and the lack of action taken to improve them.

[carter1882]

There are only a handful international schools in Thailand that are proper international schools, eg ISB NIST Patana etc. Dont waste your money on the rest, they are businesses, not schools, with majority local students who do not want to learn, its only prestige for them to say they go to an 'international school'. These schools are a joke. There are good Thai schools with a bilingual program and which are cheaper.

I wonder where you would put Harrow International School in your assessment? The ex pm has her son there by the way, i used to teach him!

[culicine]

I notice that the rich Thai families have thrir children in international schools generally. The Taksins, Abhisets, Grammy, Generals and entertainment stars.

This is to prepare them to study overseas. There's little point in studying in a Thai language program and expecting kids to succeed in an undergraduate program in the West. This would apply to parents of farang kids who will send them back home to study.

Similarly, kids from mixed marriages who are more likely to study in Thailand are better off in a good Thai school (yes, there are some), or a bilingual / EP program. This gives them the option to study overseas (some of my students from my EP went overseas), in an International program here, or in a Thai program.

It's not about what school is better or worse than the other. It is about what is the most appropriate education for your child, given their/your future aspirations. having said that, i know of a Thai student who had never studied formally in english (he went to a Thai high school), just getting accepted on a full scholarship to Princeton to study an engineering PhD (after doing a BEng in the US). So students can, and do 'cross-over', but it's not so easy. It would be just as difficult for a graduate from an international school here to go and study engineering in Thai (even for a native speaking Thai).

[amykat]

I think the main question for most, IS can you afford it? And that, well what does that mean? Does that mean, can you afford it, as it is only 10% of what you live off of? Or is it 50% of what you live off of, or what? How much is one willing to sacrifice for that ? (And by that, I mean, I live off of a smaller percentage, of what I earn, and I am in a major savings period of my life, so my total income, isn't for living.) And if you don't have an amount of money that would easily afford international schools for life, do you have it, for some period of life? If so, what years are most important?

I have tried to put it off, as as long as possible, and did the bilingual, private schools up to now. My child will be 9 in October, and I have managed to wait until now, but thought I could put if off a bit longer. She is now in summer school, at the international school where she will start, regular school, in August.

One thing that was getting difficult is that I could not help her with Thai language anything. And she really needed someone to go over her homework and help her. I also couldn't read most of the info the school sent home. I had a very half-assed idea about what was going on there, when and why. I wasn't overly involved in school, but tried to be with her homework and extra things. This was not good enough. Also I did not want to send her to those stupid after school lessons, weekend lessons, etc. She was already going to school 12 hours a day and had no time for anything else.

Anyway, even though the summer school is much less "good" in some ways, than I expected, our life, with a long off period between school schedules, when I did some home schooling in the meantime, and the new school schedule, she actually has time to be a kid, and do work also, and doesn't spend 3 hours a day or more, doing bullshit songs/"SCOUT" crap/sports day planning, which is just the worst waste of time I have ever seen in my life, along with half her days being a total waste of time doing other pathetic wastes of time, and a ridiculous drive every day to get there ...well we both feel like we have been released from a sort of jail!

And even though I liked the idea of uniforms at first (having never had to wear one in my life) I grew to hate them for various reasons. I can't tell you how great it is, to NOT wear a uniform, how my daughter is learning to better dress herself, how she is learning that every god-damn detail in life, doesn't need to match a herd, the mass of sheep at her school! She could only wear her hair ONE way. If they had a field trip, the kids could only wear ONE type of hat, and ONE same water bottle, or all of hell would release upon them (in their thinking, the school didn't even mandate that, but the kids needed to match themselves, otherwise, complete mental chaos and rejection.)

One day since summer school started, she spent 45 minutes, making a bun in her hair and was so happy, she yelled out " I just LOVE myself so much" ...and said a bit more. Another day, she wore her very long hair (down to her butt which is rejected in her other old school and she used to react as if she was going outside naked, if she didn't have the proper hair braids and bows), well she wore it down, and natural and felt so bold to do this, as I would feel going to work in a bikini maybe.

Anyway, there might be a lot of benefits that we don't always realize, outside of the basic educational things. In my case, she will have approx, 5 hours a day of extra time, due to the lack of the ridiculous drive, which last year suddenly got out of control, and due to less time once in school, doing total bullshit activities.

With the coup, the bullshit activities, might even get much worse.

She relates much better to the kids who are from all over the place.

I don't think I could ever go back to her old school ,or something equal, and I don't have any major complaints about that old school.

I still would not change what I have done so far, really. Having her in international preschool for example, would not have helped her much, if at all, and I don't feel I had money to spent on that, would rather save it for later.

Well, if it won't make you totally broke, I would suggest international school.

[missapa]

There are only a handful international schools in Thailand that are proper international schools, eg ISB NIST Patana etc. Dont waste your money on the rest, they are businesses, not schools, with majority local students who do not want to learn, its only prestige for them to say they go to an 'international school'. These schools are a joke. There are good Thai schools with a bilingual program and which are cheaper.

Do you have any opinion on the New Sathorn International School (NSIS) ? proper school or business ?

[arjunadawn]

The Thais have been oppressed via poor education for decades.

Now the elite say they are to stupid to vote!

A quality education is the privileged of the empowered elite.The masses do not have access to a decent standard of education, and are socially prevented from benefiting from any meaningful advancement. When will an educated population (an informed electorate), be in the best interests of the powers that be ? Perhaps when the centrally controlled system finds itself falling behind Burma and Vietnam.

Wow! Great observation. Sadly, it also describes my home country. Years of dumbing down that population has also made voters that only respond to "gimme, gimme, gimme." Think you've cast a wide net- that applies!

[JacChang]

Most mentioned are "replicas" of what international schools should be. Managed by Thais and attempting to be different from local Thai school.

As far as I am concerned, there is only 3 true international schools in Thailand. ISB ranks the top, RIS the second, third one I forgot as it's been a while. But definitely not those mentioned above.

The curriculum consists mainly of international courses, with high school including IB programs and AP programs which is college equivalent courses. Most graduating students easily get into the top universities and colleges around the world, Harvard, Stanford, UBC, UCLA, and so on. Don't even need to mention thai universities. As much as I hate to say it, it's a guaranteed free pass. I was a graduate long long time ago, threw some applications around the top 3-4 universities, we should know which they are. C*****, A***, and so on. On the day that I wanted to go take the entrance exam, I looked down the list, every name had a time and a place, mine didn't. I ask them what's wrong. "Oh, you don't have to take it. Your from international school." While I disagree with this practice, it's how things work here. While the whole country has to fight for what's available of the seats left, that is thousands trying to get hundreds of seats left. And of course, everyone your kid meets at school is connected heavily. Name any large enterprise in Thailand, there's a kid there.

The courses are top notched, your kid if they can graduate, could easily be the brightest 10% of Thailand, and definitely 30% of the smartest in the world. From biology with microscopes, dissecting frogs and cats, to business courses, accounting, algebra, calculus, economics, you name it. Everything. Recently I heard, every kid has their own laptop to use in school as well. They type while taking notes.

So definitely recommended if you have the money.

[ultimate weapon]

In my country singapore there are a couple of international schools and typically foreigners that live here for the long haul say expat farangs will enroll their kids in these schools. Mind you they teach you english and another language that you can learn if you want to typically the other 3 national languages. All citizens of singapore must enroll in a native school and cannot enroll in an international school. The thing is why won't these foreigners actually enroll their children in singapore schools. The curriculum is not too bad. You follow the british school system and i believe many countries follow the british schooling system you know there are so many commonwealth countries out there and only when students start enrolling in university do they follow the american system if they choose to study in an american uni which is probably the most popular country to study teritary education then followed by maybe canadia, UK and aus.

Anyway back to the topic it seems that the foreigners in my country don't seem to want to integrate with the locals yet and i am basing what i read here on TV and TV is a rather large forum that seems that alot of foreigners post on yet from the postings that i read on TV it seems that foreigners that live in thailand for the long haul actually want their children that is i think a child from a foreigner say a farang and a local thai want their children to integrate with thai society by getting them to study in a thai school rather than isolate themselves from thai society at large by studying in an international school. You see i find it ironic in the sense that the thai education system definitely won't match up to singapore's the thai students don't know much about world events, economics, A maths, C maths and advanced science etc. The fact that they need to translate everything into the thai language while the singaporean students just simply study them in the english language probably gives them an advantage too so why does it seem that foreigners that live long term in thailand and start a family actually want to integrate with thai society but it seems not so much compared with singapore even though it would be easier to communicate with a singaporean since an average singaporean does have a decent command of the english language and should at least understand simple everyday english words, sentences which a thai probably wouldn't.

Again i am basing my observation from this forum which i think should be fairly accurate on the expat population living in thailand because even personally when i observe foreigners like farang they are very or more willing to actually learn thai culture and adopt their customs etc etc and not that likely to want to socialize with singaporeans.

[ppmacready]

The Thais have been oppressed via poor education for decades.

Now the elite say they are to stupid to vote!

A quality education is the privileged of the empowered elite.The masses do not have access to a decent standard of education, and are socially prevented from benefiting from any meaningful advancement. When will an educated population (an informed electorate), be in the best interests of the powers that be ? Perhaps when the centrally controlled system finds itself falling behind Burma and Vietnam.

Wow! Great observation. Sadly, it also describes my home country. Years of dumbing down that population has also made voters that only respond to "gimme, gimme, gimme." Think you've cast a wide net- that applies!

Thank you.

Because of the low standard of education in Thailand and the Thainess taught in the schools, I home school my daughter.

This web site follows the UK curriculum.

http://www.interhigh.co.uk/

[kurnell]

There are only a handful international schools in Thailand that are proper international schools, eg ISB NIST Patana etc. Dont waste your money on the rest, they are businesses, not schools, with majority local students who do not want to learn, its only prestige for them to say they go to an 'international school'. These schools are a joke. There are good Thai schools with a bilingual program and which are cheaper.

Nonsense.

[Maseratimartin]

If you want to give your kids at least a fair chance ...they have to go in a international school!

The thai curiculum is not worth the paper it is written on...

[NanLaew]

There are only a handful international schools in Thailand that are proper international schools, eg ISB NIST Patana etc. Dont waste your money on the rest, they are businesses, not schools, with majority local students who do not want to learn, its only prestige for them to say they go to an 'international school'. These schools are a joke. There are good Thai schools with a bilingual program and which are cheaper.

So 'only a handful' such as 'etc' and 'the rest'.

Many thanks for taking the time to give us your quantitative, qualitative and objective assessment.

[Konini]

Again i am basing my observation from this forum which i think should be fairly accurate on the expat population living in thailand because even personally when i observe foreigners like farang they are very or more willing to actually learn thai culture and adopt their customs etc etc and not that likely to want to socialize with singaporeans.

I think you may be looking at expats in a different way to me. I know several expats in Singapore, all middle class, all middle to senior management and all very, very well paid. Not saying that there aren't any, but I don't know of (and have never heard of) any working class people or retired expats there. Thailand seems to have a lot of working class retirees; the only conclusion to reach here is that the financial disparity between Thai expats and Singaporean expats is huge.

I think most people would use international schools if a good one were nearby and it was financially possible, as is natural because everyone wants to do the best for their children.

[German Viking]

There are only a handful international schools in Thailand that are proper international schools, eg ISB NIST Patana etc. Dont waste your money on the rest, they are businesses, not schools, with majority local students who do not want to learn, its only prestige for them to say they go to an 'international school'. These schools are a joke. There are good Thai schools with a bilingual program and which are cheaper.

BIS in Phuket is not bad at all, but expensive.

As a german language speaker I would send my kids to CDSC Chiang Mai.

http://www.cdsc.ac.th/index.php/de/

With this final exermination, can you go to all universities in germany and you can study what you want, as long you pass the

(Numerus Clausus) of the faculty and in top a written test of the faculty you have to pass also.

These rule with the test is new, caused they found out that a good general education(exermination)

maybe is not good for this what a student like to study.

Good rule in the past a lot unqualified occupied these study places, means a piece of paper is not any time good enough and this is good so.

The problem is a lot of these unqualified specialists sitting today in HR and hire ppl mainly after papers,

caused of their lazyness and high qualification and as long they have to decide, there will nothing change.

Crape diem

[khunPer]

International Schools tuition fees starts around 450,000 baht/year + extras, some are more expensive and are rather 600k and up, so for many it’s a question of finance; 2 kids can easily cost 1 million baht or more a year.

Then comes the question if you are here temporary, in which case an International School may be preferred, or you have planned to spend your life here and the children are Thai nationals (can be dual nationality) and will have a future in Thailand or South East Asia; in that case Thai language and culture are as important as English, even Chinese language may be important.

There are many private schools or so-called English Programme Schools, some quite affordable, others a bit more expensive, but not in price level with International Schools. The quality of English Programme Schools seems to vary as much as tuition fees. However, you can find really good English Programme Schools where the quality difference to some of the certified International Schools may be minor, however there is a relative big difference in fees.

The location is also a factor; do you live in Bangkok, at one of the tourist destinations, or up north at Isaan, as the possibilities without being a boarding school may be quite different from area to area.

For my daughter, who is Thai national, we have choose an English Programme School, primary level, and are very satisfied, so seems everybody else using that school. When I compare to school standard in my Scandinavian home country I have nothing to complain about, must say I prefer the school here. There is both an International School and a number of other private English Programme Schools in our local area, so we had a bit to choose from.

[cardinalblue]

How are you qualified to say that Chiang Mai has no quality international schools?

I guess you are one of those lowly-paid school accreditaion inspectors for you to garner such a statement...

Let us know how you came to that concluasion. Mine is look at the shcool's recent graduate placement at top notch universities in Western countries....

CB

[facthailand]

Our daughter has studied in The Regent's School for three years after her Thai primary and middle schools. Sainampueng was all-girls and forced strict conformity on its students, particularly about hairstyle (bob-cut only), skirt length, and makeup. 54 girls were in each class, 6,000+ total in the school. We had to pay upwards of 60-80,000 for their "mini-English" programme which was mostly taught by Filipinos and Indians.

On the other hand, Regent's has about 500+ students, coed from Year 2 through IB, and 17 kids in each class. All teachers are sourced from abroad, none locally. The Regent's may be considered a second-tier school. It is owned by one family and is definitely a business. Tuition runs 5-600,000. However, we have found the owners and administrators exceptionally thoughtful and kind.

The teachers care about their students in a way not possible in a Thai school; they are loving and supportive. Our 16-year old completed 11 IGCSEs this year but, IMNSHO, standardised testing is not useful for future opportunities or a genuine benchmark for knowledge. Furthermore, IB grads have a hot ticket to big scholarships at almost every Western university. Of course, students wear uniforms, no makeup, and skirt length is enforced. They are many opportunities for scholarships for talented kids.

Sek Loso sends his three kids to The Regent's. We esp enjoyed his performance of the Stones' Satisfaction: "can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke the same cigarettes as me"! (We're not so sure others got the humour!_

Ideally, we would have liked to have found a Thai school with an English programme close to home. It would be really useful to expat parents if some educator or parent made a list of the best Thai schools (and why) starting with Bangkok. Such a list for int'l schools would also be helpful; which are best and why.

[bangkapi]

It is well known among the elite Thais and moneyed or diplomatic expats that there is ONE and only one international school in Thailand that is worth it if you wish your children to get a very good education to prepare them for the world. And that institution is the alma mater of Timothy Geithner..... (ISB)

All other "international schools" in Thailand are for the unwashed masses and range from good to mediocre to terrible.

[ppmacready]

It is well known among the elite Thais and moneyed or diplomatic expats that there is ONE and only one international school in Thailand that is worth it if you wish your children to get a very good education to prepare them for the world. And that institution is the alma mater of Timothy Geithner..... (ISB)

All other "international schools" in Thailand are for the unwashed masses and range from good to mediocre to terrible.

My daughter is home schooled.

But if I was to choose an International school.

For what its worth, I would chose Shrewsbury International in Bangkok.

http://www.shrewsbury.ac.th/

I would definitely also recommend 'The last night of the Proms' which they hold there each year.

Its one of the most entertaining nights you can have in Bangkok!

[culicine]

Most mentioned are "replicas" of what international schools should be. Managed by Thais and attempting to be different from local Thai school.

As far as I am concerned, there is only 3 true international schools in Thailand. ISB ranks the top, RIS the second, third one I forgot as it's been a while. But definitely not those mentioned above.

The curriculum consists mainly of international courses, with high school including IB programs and AP programs which is college equivalent courses. Most graduating students easily get into the top universities and colleges around the world, Harvard, Stanford, UBC, UCLA, and so on. Don't even need to mention thai universities. As much as I hate to say it, it's a guaranteed free pass. I was a graduate long long time ago, threw some applications around the top 3-4 universities, we should know which they are. C*****, A***, and so on. On the day that I wanted to go take the entrance exam, I looked down the list, every name had a time and a place, mine didn't. I ask them what's wrong. "Oh, you don't have to take it. Your from international school." While I disagree with this practice, it's how things work here. While the whole country has to fight for what's available of the seats left, that is thousands trying to get hundreds of seats left. And of course, everyone your kid meets at school is connected heavily. Name any large enterprise in Thailand, there's a kid there.

The courses are top notched, your kid if they can graduate, could easily be the brightest 10% of Thailand, and definitely 30% of the smartest in the world. From biology with microscopes, dissecting frogs and cats, to business courses, accounting, algebra, calculus, economics, you name it. Everything. Recently I heard, every kid has their own laptop to use in school as well. They type while taking notes.

So definitely recommended if you have the money.

Probably the reason you did not have to do an entrance test, is that students from Thai schools will not have met minimum english requirements - they still need to sit CUTEP/CUAATSAT/SAT2, etc. depending on the international program. If you had IB/A-levels, you would not need to do other tests, perhaps except for an interview.

[culicine]

If you want to give your kids at least a fair chance ...they have to go in a international school!

The thai curiculum is not worth the paper it is written on...

And your qualifications to make this statement are??....I guess you have many years experience teaching / administering in both kinds of schools? This lowly Thai curriculum you speak of allowed one of my students access to the University of Minnesota --> Oxford for Masters --> Princeton on a full scholarship for a PhD. There are plenty like him who never went to an International school and have gone overseas to study.

[JacChang]

Most mentioned are "replicas" of what international schools should be. Managed by Thais and attempting to be different from local Thai school.

As far as I am concerned, there is only 3 true international schools in Thailand. ISB ranks the top, RIS the second, third one I forgot as it's been a while. But definitely not those mentioned above.

The curriculum consists mainly of international courses, with high school including IB programs and AP programs which is college equivalent courses. Most graduating students easily get into the top universities and colleges around the world, Harvard, Stanford, UBC, UCLA, and so on. Don't even need to mention thai universities. As much as I hate to say it, it's a guaranteed free pass. I was a graduate long long time ago, threw some applications around the top 3-4 universities, we should know which they are. C*****, A***, and so on. On the day that I wanted to go take the entrance exam, I looked down the list, every name had a time and a place, mine didn't. I ask them what's wrong. "Oh, you don't have to take it. Your from international school." While I disagree with this practice, it's how things work here. While the whole country has to fight for what's available of the seats left, that is thousands trying to get hundreds of seats left. And of course, everyone your kid meets at school is connected heavily. Name any large enterprise in Thailand, there's a kid there.

The courses are top notched, your kid if they can graduate, could easily be the brightest 10% of Thailand, and definitely 30% of the smartest in the world. From biology with microscopes, dissecting frogs and cats, to business courses, accounting, algebra, calculus, economics, you name it. Everything. Recently I heard, every kid has their own laptop to use in school as well. They type while taking notes.

So definitely recommended if you have the money.

Probably the reason you did not have to do an entrance test, is that students from Thai schools will not have met minimum english requirements - they still need to sit CUTEP/CUAATSAT/SAT2, etc. depending on the international program. If you had IB/A-levels, you would not need to do other tests, perhaps except for an interview.

Those tests are independent tests that all applicants will be required to take regardless of coming from an international school or local school. The only difference here, is from what school you are from, you would not have to take the entrance exams and automatically entered to have a seat.